(Radio Iowa) – Gathering with a group of strangers to tackle important societal issues through conversation, not confrontation, is the premise for the 4th annual Tallgrass Festival of Ideas this weekend. The non-profit Lyceum (ly-SEE-um) Movement is hosting the event and executive director Nathan Beacom says a roster of ten diverse thinkers, writers and scholars will offer short talks to spark the audience to participate.
Speakers will include the dean of the Drake Law School, a writer at The Atlantic, and a concert pianist, and Beacom says the list is intentionally curated to bring out a diverse range of topics, including history, art, and philosophy.
One focus of the two-day conversation will be “The Pursuit of Happiness.” He notes, we’re all seeking happiness, but does anyone ever really find it? Our nation’s framers didn’t try to guarantee happiness, just the pursuit of it.
The Festival of Ideas is being held in Des Moines on Friday, August 7th in Sheslow Auditorium at Drake University, and Saturday, August 8th at The Shop, at 901 Cherry Street.
